estate strategy - middlesex university

Back to Portfolio

bpr architects have been involved in the masterplanning and redevelopment of Middlesex University’s Hendon campus over a fifteen year development programme to improve facilities and consolidate its previously extensively dispersed activities, sites and campuses on to a single site. bpr architects have overseen the design, development and implementation of this masterplan, delivering architectural services and acting as lead consultant.

Together, Middlesex University and bpr architects have formed a strong team which has worked together to maximise the potential of the site and minimise disruption, whilst improving facilities for the end users, to develop Hendon to become the university’s flagship campus.

By understanding the need to place students' first, we have been able to help Middlesex University prioritise investment and provide design solutions that aim for the best possible outcomes for students.

In 2003 bpr worked with the university's estates team to develop a ten year estate strategy. In that period estates investments has comprised £200m and overseen the number of students at the Hendon campus grow from 7,500 to 20,000 students with an overall increase in accommodation at Hendon of around 30,000 sqm. This has seen the consolidation of 17 sites across London, 5 boroughs - into a single campus in Hendon. The phasing of this development was critical, and bpr were able to manage and deliver the envisaged facilities to strict academic deadlines driven by the strategic campus closure and relocation programme established by the university.

Middlesex has seen the benefit in this process of long term investment, rising 17 places in the Sunday Times university guide, referred to as a "dividend from its decade long process of campus reorganisation.

client

middlesex university

planning consultants

tibbalds planning and urban design

Phase one - College Building - to establish this small campus as a possible new focus for development, to equip it with amenity and support space that would enable future expansion and provide it with a recognisable identity. The enclosure of the underused outdoor quadrangle with an 'attention grabbing' glass roof, retained the heritage of the area while providing a new and lively social hub for students and staff.

Phase one b - Sheppard library - part of phase one was the £20million Sheppard Library, providing a flexible learning resources centre that encourages collaboration and excellence. The buildings 8,000 sqm. footprint optimises use of the confined site. Using a balance of passive design and renewable technology, including rain water harvesting, solar panels and natural ventilation, the design also aims to minimise energy consumption.
This was the first significant new building on the campus and it established a standard of quality as well as providing academic support. The completion of this phase unlocked the business case for consolidation at Hendon.

Phase two - Hatchcroft - this phase facilitated the relocation of teaching spaces from the Enfield Campus on to the Hendon site. Hatchcroft Science Building modified the campus from a ring-fenced and secured compound, to a permeable and public site with access control at building and room level. Hatchcroft was also one of the first BREEAM excellent higher education facilities.

Phase three - Grove art design and media centre - consolidating all Arts programmes from the Cat Hill campus and Media from Trent Park into a £42million Art, Design and Media centre for the School of Arts and Education. This site expanded the campus to the south east and in order to succeed, the building had to connect disparate spaces and create new routes through the campus, between the road, council property, university buildings and public green space.

Phase four - Ritterman building - providing a highly flexible teaching building to facilitate the relocation of teaching from poor quality spaces to allow them to be refurbished or reprovisioned. The resultant building establishes and articulates a series of external open spaces across the north-south route through the campus providing internal accessible links. Ritterman works with the existing buildings to bookend the forum terrace and create a legible public realm.